The First One Humdred Years of Assumption Life 1903-2003
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Assumption Place stands tall in downtown Moncton. For the entire Acadian community, it is both a historic monument and a symbol of success. (Photo: Daniel St-Louis) 100 years in retrospect - english 4336-00A-2003 Assumption Mutual Life Insurance Company The First One Hundred Years 1903 - 2003 Assumption Life’s history is directly linked to the vitality of the Acadian people. Today, the company is proud of a century of consolidation, mutual support, education, and social and economic development in its pursuit of maintaining the Acadian culture in North America. Assumption Life’s first one hundred years will be notable for the determination of its leaders, the integrity of their objectives, and the wisdom of their social commitment. Because of these qualities, the company is now one of the major financial institutions in the Maritimes. Assumption Life owes its success to the Acadian people’s sound business sense and to their commitment to preserving their culture. As it embarks on a new century, the company remains faithful to its traditional values while embracing the future. Pride in its past and confidence in the future will doubtless continue to contribute to the economic success and social and cultural well-being of the various communities that Assumption Life serves. A Fraternal Benefit Society 1903 - 1930 The origins of Assumption Life were This group banded together to look after the needs In 1913, the head office of Société l’Assomption based on a determination to survive… of Acadian families made vulnerable by illness, moved to 696 Main Street, Moncton. This photo of as a community. disability, or the death of their main breadwinners. the building dates from that period. They also wanted to ensure that deserving Acadian (Photo: Arnold’s Studio Ltd.) The Acadian people scattered throughout the children received the education they needed to north-eastern part of the North American continent felt succeed in life. Their motto sums up the objectives of a pressing need to preserve their faith, their language, Société l’Assomption: “Union, charité, protection” their culture and to ensure their survival and future. (“Union, Charity, Protection”). In 1903, they founded a fraternal society known as Société l’Assomption. The March 1912 issue of the newspaper L’Assomption. (Photo courtesy of the Centre d’études acadiennes of Université de Moncton) A Fraternal Benefit Society 1903 - 1930 Life Insurance Société l’Assomption offered its members life insurance policies so that their families could continue to meet their obligations after the head of the family had passed away. The company was not long in giving a voice to Acadian women, opening in Waltham in 1912 the first exclusively female branch, Évangéline. The first women's branch in Canada was founded the following year in Shediac and named Jeanne d’Arc. After moving to Moncton in 1913, Société l’Assomption continued to grow, soon counting 7,520 members at 115 branches, 30 in the United States and 85 in Canada. From 1914 to 1924 alone, the Society amassed total assets of $200,000 and carried insurance policies worth more than $1.5 million! The company was well on its way, and would reach the 10,000 policy milestone in 1929 and its first $1 million in assets in 1938. Twenty years later, it would have more than $100 million in life insurance policies in force. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The oldest life insurance certificate in our archives, dated August 1906. (Photo: Rachelle Richard) A Fraternal Benefit Society 1903 - 1930 La Caisse Écolière It was also decided at that time to offer the same opportunities to young girls. Ten years later, some On joining Société l’Assomption, members were 30 young women had been offered assistance to required to pay in advance, into a separate fund, the continue their studies at convent schools. monthly sum of 5 cents, which was later raised to 10 cents. This contribution was intended to provide “The Caisse Écolière scholarship fund financial assistance for the instruction of gifted boys. contributed to the education of gifted The first two scholarship recipients, Alfred-E. Gallant young Acadian men and women.” and Clifford Vienneau, later became an eminent surgeon “Though we may be and businessman respectively. To qualify, they had to too poor to educate It is interesting to note that the scholarship fund also take part in a competitive entrance examination that had an agricultural counterpart, the Caisse Agricole, included a written test. The boy aged 14 or up who all our children, surely which helped young men pursuing agricultural studies. received the highest score would be awarded a bursary. together we can save Between 1914 and 1961, 56 young Acadians took advantage of this special scholarship fund. However, it soon became clear that this practice up enough nickels to discriminated against the rural Acadian population, educate at least one Finally, there was the Caisse Universitaire, established who did not have access to high schools. It was in 1919 and funded by donations to offer loans to therefore decided that all boys who scored well on Acadian child.” university students. Although its source of financing the written exam would be entered in a random draw. Words of our founders varied over the years, it managed to provide support Of course, the organizers appealed to Our Lady of the to 86 students between 1931 and 1951. Assumption to guide the hand of the person who drew the winner's name! Today, Assumption Life continues to award scholarships every year under the auspices of the Assumption During its first 10 years in operation, the scholarship Foundation. To date, it has donated over $3.5 million fund helped educate 85 boys, 17 of whom later became in bursaries. priests and another 13 took up professional occupations. A Fraternal Benefit Society 1903 - 1930 Patriotic Acadian song (Sung to “Mariez-moi, ma petite maman”) I 4 I sing these verses in celebration of The century and a half that has just ended Société l’Assomption flourished through the 1920s, finally My country, its history, After so much sad destruction, outgrowing its original headquarters and moving to more The battles fought by my valiant forefathers, Still holds such sweet memories spacious offices in 1927. The Society shared this space with And of their faith, which led them to triumph Of the courage of our ancestors: another Acadian institution, the newspaper L’Évangéline. In Acadia, Then the sun (Photo: Archives) Beloved land! Of the great awakening Where peace and happiness once reigned. (bis.) Cries to us: “Arise from your slumber, Good citizen, devoted Christian, Unite, and ready yourselves; That was the Acadian of yore. Let faith be your shield!” 2 5 But through one hundred fifty years, Let us walk in the footsteps of our ancestors, The Acadian braved many a storm, Let us be proud to be Acadians; Repulsing, not without loss of blood, Let us pray often for our brothers The enemy who coveted his property. That God keep them Betrayed by the king, Safe from all harm! He sacrificed his home and his rights My native land For his Faith! (bis.) Is Acadia! From his tomb, I hear his words Let us sing of its Echoing over and over... Past and present, this is the intent Of SOCIÉTÉ L’ASSOMPTION.” 3 “Almighty God, save Thy children! END Thy will be done! We pray that all our descendants A translation of original French lyrics by May have perfect Faith in Thee. Dominique S. Leger, Lynn, Massachusetts, 1905. Mother of God, (Courtesy of the Centre d’études acadiennes of Queen of Heaven, Université de Moncton) Protect them wherever they may go. Holy Virgin, let Acadia One day rise again!” A Fraternal Benefit Society 1903 - 1930 The first office to serve as company headquarters was located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in 1906. Members of the Waltham/Boston branch in 1910 Philias Belliveau, Axime LeBlanc. Back row: Maurice Bourque, First row, left to right: Calixte Léger, Philippe Vienneau, Clarence F. Cormier, Jean H. LeBlanc, Dominique Belliveau, Philippe Landry, Ferdinand Cormier, William Doucet. Adolphe Cormier. Second row: Philias M. Belliveau, Donat S. Cormier, (Photo courtesy of the Centre d’études acadiennes of Université de Moncton) 1903 - 1930 A Fraternal Benefit Society Mr. Jean H. LeBlanc, Waltham President, Assumption Committee Compatriot …We must continue toiling until the day we acquire at last certain privileges in triumph for all Acadians…we Acadians must all do something, and the time is now… …We must ask: Do we or do we not have the right to call ourselves Acadians? If I have correctly understood what happened in Waltham last April 15, we are and must remain Acadians and should have no fear of proclaiming this. Should we then found a national Acadian society? That is the question… …You may ask how we intend to found a Society without capital, yet we have means available to us…I have the plan but choose not to reveal it until the time is right – organizations have been founded in the past without capital and appear to get on all right and to keep going…I have every reason to believe that we would succeed – of course, we may need to make certain sacrifices, such as resigning other positions we may presently hold so that we might join the Acadians… …Naturally, we cannot build a great Society within the period of a month or two. If our Society is established with the enthusiasm it deserves, then we are certain to succeed… I ask that every aspect of our plan be subject to the closest scrutiny… From a letter dated 1902 by Ferdinand Richard of Gardner, Massachusetts, the first to document the idea of a national society.